Browse content similar to 24/01/2012. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!
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Good afternoon and welcome to the programme. As usual we'll bring you | 0:00:20 | 0:00:22 | |
coverage of First Minister's Questions this afternoon before | 0:00:22 | 0:00:24 | |
asking what our Welsh Affairs Editor Vaughan Roderick thinks | 0:00:24 | 0:00:29 | |
about it. But it's not just Vaughan's thoughts I want to hear, | 0:00:29 | 0:00:35 | |
I would love to hear form you. You can share your thoughts with us via | 0:00:35 | 0:00:41 | |
Twitter or you can send us an e- mail. Well, let's take a look now | 0:00:41 | 0:00:44 | |
at questions to the First Minister Carwyn Jones from a little earlier | 0:00:44 | 0:00:54 | |
0:00:54 | 0:00:54 | ||
this afternoon. Good afternoon. The first item this afternoon his First | 0:00:54 | 0:01:02 | |
Minister's Questions. I would like to ask the First Minister when he | 0:01:02 | 0:01:09 | |
last met with the First Minister of Scotland. I last met him on 13th | 0:01:09 | 0:01:16 | |
January in Dublin. During that meeting, did the First Minister of | 0:01:16 | 0:01:20 | |
Wales have an opportunity to insure him that he will not interfere in | 0:01:20 | 0:01:24 | |
internal issues in Scotland, and has the First Minister of Wales had | 0:01:24 | 0:01:29 | |
an opportunity to direct the Prime Minister of the UK have to behave? | 0:01:29 | 0:01:33 | |
Can you tell us more about the convention he launched yesterday | 0:01:33 | 0:01:40 | |
and may I say that I am very supportive of this a step. Thank | 0:01:40 | 0:01:45 | |
you for that. I have made my opinion public that the future of | 0:01:45 | 0:01:49 | |
Scotland is something for the people of Scotland. Regarding the | 0:01:49 | 0:01:52 | |
convention, it is very important that we consider the position of | 0:01:52 | 0:01:57 | |
the UK at present, regarding developments of the past few years | 0:01:57 | 0:02:03 | |
so that we get more clarity about the various powers that this | 0:02:03 | 0:02:08 | |
Assembly has, the Northern Ireland Assembly has, and UK government as | 0:02:08 | 0:02:13 | |
well as Scotland. What the First Minister agree that when voters in | 0:02:14 | 0:02:19 | |
Scotland come to put their crosses in the Scottish independence vote, | 0:02:19 | 0:02:23 | |
that they consider that they are not just breaking away from England, | 0:02:23 | 0:02:28 | |
but they are breaking away from Wales and Northern Ireland as well | 0:02:28 | 0:02:32 | |
to fellow Celtic nations. And doesn't he think they should | 0:02:32 | 0:02:36 | |
consider that when they come to vote? I very much hope the people | 0:02:36 | 0:02:39 | |
of Scotland had to remain part of the UK. They are very important | 0:02:40 | 0:02:45 | |
part of the UK and Scotland adds balance to the UK. He UK will be | 0:02:46 | 0:02:53 | |
very much worse off without Scotland. I know occasionally we do | 0:02:53 | 0:02:58 | |
disagree on a few things, but on the issue of the future of the UK, | 0:02:58 | 0:03:04 | |
I know that you share my view that the United Kingdom has a steered | 0:03:04 | 0:03:09 | |
Wales and all the constituent parts of the UK in good stead for 300 | 0:03:09 | 0:03:14 | |
years and hopefully will continue in the future. Following on from | 0:03:14 | 0:03:19 | |
the question asked, would you once again staked your belief in the | 0:03:19 | 0:03:25 | |
importance to Wales or Scotland in the United Kingdom remain together, | 0:03:25 | 0:03:28 | |
and would also agree that it was very important the Prime Minister | 0:03:28 | 0:03:32 | |
did give an indication that they should be an early referendum | 0:03:32 | 0:03:37 | |
because in the meantime, businesses are suffering from the uncertainty | 0:03:37 | 0:03:41 | |
that has been created by the Scottish Nationalist Party. I'm | 0:03:41 | 0:03:47 | |
sure you would not like to see his security. What happens in Scotland | 0:03:47 | 0:03:51 | |
as a matter for the people of Scotland. I'm not convinced it is a | 0:03:52 | 0:03:55 | |
wise intervention on the part of the Prime Minister with regard to | 0:03:55 | 0:04:01 | |
Scottish affairs, but that said, I would very much regret seeing | 0:04:01 | 0:04:05 | |
Scotland leaving the UK. I very much believe in the unity of the UK | 0:04:05 | 0:04:08 | |
and certainly it would be great last was in Wales of Scotland were | 0:04:08 | 0:04:17 | |
to leave the UK. Can I remind people that it is one question and | 0:04:17 | 0:04:24 | |
sure preambles. Paul Davies. What is the Welsh government doing to | 0:04:24 | 0:04:29 | |
improve public transport accessibility across Wales? We are | 0:04:29 | 0:04:31 | |
delivering accessibility improvements to public transport | 0:04:31 | 0:04:38 | |
across Wales. This includes the new train services to Fishguard, the | 0:04:38 | 0:04:42 | |
forthcoming reopening of a station and the current major improvements | 0:04:42 | 0:04:47 | |
to Swansea High Street station. of the plans that has been very | 0:04:47 | 0:04:51 | |
successful but meant than breath of Wales is the town riders King which | 0:04:51 | 0:04:56 | |
has this -- which has increased accessibility for many people. | 0:04:56 | 0:05:01 | |
Understand of funding of the scheme is to come to an end. Many | 0:05:01 | 0:05:05 | |
constituents have contacted me and a very concerned that the scheme -- | 0:05:05 | 0:05:10 | |
scheme is to come to a close because many feel that it is a | 0:05:10 | 0:05:15 | |
lifeline to them under these circumstances. Is the government | 0:05:15 | 0:05:21 | |
reconsidering his decision? And if not, what will replace this | 0:05:21 | 0:05:26 | |
valuable service? Unfortunately, that funding is no longer available | 0:05:26 | 0:05:33 | |
for that scheme from the government. But from what they understand, | 0:05:33 | 0:05:38 | |
there are ongoing talks with the local authority regarding the | 0:05:38 | 0:05:44 | |
future of the schemes. At Prime Minister's Questions last week, we | 0:05:44 | 0:05:47 | |
have the Conservative government is axing the Labour initiative to | 0:05:47 | 0:05:51 | |
contain the prices of transport. I wondered if you could say what can | 0:05:51 | 0:05:59 | |
be done to ensure that the price of train fares is as important as the | 0:05:59 | 0:06:05 | |
accessibility. It is crucial that people feel they are able to travel | 0:06:05 | 0:06:10 | |
on public transport paying a reasonable fare. The great danger | 0:06:10 | 0:06:17 | |
is that if where fares are allowed to rise in an unregulated way, that | 0:06:17 | 0:06:21 | |
they will rise to an extent that people feel they cannot access the | 0:06:21 | 0:06:23 | |
railways. It is absolutely crucial that there is proper regulation | 0:06:23 | 0:06:31 | |
implies across the hall of the UK. Your government here in Wales has | 0:06:31 | 0:06:40 | |
just kept the ground to bus companies by a quarter -- cut the | 0:06:40 | 0:06:48 | |
grant. This is higher than in England. This cut has been made | 0:06:48 | 0:06:55 | |
with just 10 weeks notice, although the contracts were in place with | 0:06:55 | 0:06:59 | |
the county council, why is this cut so significantly higher in Wales | 0:06:59 | 0:07:02 | |
and why was there so little warning given to bus companies who will | 0:07:02 | 0:07:10 | |
suffer as a result and will have to cut services? It continues to be | 0:07:10 | 0:07:15 | |
higher than it is in England, looking at the per litre of fuel, | 0:07:15 | 0:07:21 | |
we should look at the budget we have had from London, we had to | 0:07:21 | 0:07:27 | |
consider the best way to cut some services. Unfortunately, this is an | 0:07:27 | 0:07:33 | |
area where we had to reduce the subsidy available, but again, | 0:07:33 | 0:07:40 | |
emphasise that the funding is higher than if you look at the Poly | 0:07:40 | 0:07:47 | |
to fuel in England. They are a number of areas in North Wales | 0:07:47 | 0:07:51 | |
where public transport is not available and where the public, | 0:07:52 | 0:07:56 | |
particularly the elderly, are dependent on commuter transport. | 0:07:56 | 0:08:01 | |
When will you government be in a position to give some assurance on | 0:08:01 | 0:08:06 | |
funding for next year in this area? As I said, we are in a situation | 0:08:06 | 0:08:11 | |
where it is not possible to ensure that the same amount of money is | 0:08:11 | 0:08:16 | |
available that we would like in the future. But of course we want to | 0:08:16 | 0:08:22 | |
look at all kinds of ways of ensuring all kinds of transport in | 0:08:22 | 0:08:29 | |
all parts of Wales. Disabled people are more likely than non-disabled | 0:08:29 | 0:08:33 | |
people to be the victim of crime. Public transport can be a | 0:08:33 | 0:08:37 | |
particular hot spot for that. So much so, that many disabled people | 0:08:37 | 0:08:42 | |
feel unable to access public transport that exists. Volley | 0:08:42 | 0:08:47 | |
provide us with them -- an update on what you are planning to do so | 0:08:47 | 0:08:53 | |
that disabled people can feel safe in public places? The issue of hate | 0:08:53 | 0:08:57 | |
crime against disabled people have been raised before. It is one we | 0:08:57 | 0:09:00 | |
take very seriously and we deplore it. The fact that people should | 0:09:00 | 0:09:04 | |
seek to target those who were in a position of particular fund ability, | 0:09:04 | 0:09:11 | |
I know we have been working with the authorities in the past to make | 0:09:11 | 0:09:21 | |
0:09:21 | 0:09:25 | ||
sure hate crime is dealt with. -- vulnerability. First Minister, in | 0:09:25 | 0:09:29 | |
your programme for government, you will about encouraging greater | 0:09:29 | 0:09:32 | |
levels of private sector investment and employment. Could you explain | 0:09:32 | 0:09:36 | |
what you would measure as a success as the end of a programme for | 0:09:36 | 0:09:40 | |
government as to that increase in private sector investment? More | 0:09:40 | 0:09:47 | |
businesses, more jobs and increase in gross domestic household income. | 0:09:47 | 0:09:51 | |
Does our aspirations we would all agree with. One of the deficits in | 0:09:51 | 0:09:55 | |
the Welsh economy is the inability to attract high end value drops to | 0:09:55 | 0:10:00 | |
Wales, headquartered jobs, whether they be UK headquarters can be | 0:10:00 | 0:10:04 | |
European operations all well the operations. Recent evidence taken | 0:10:04 | 0:10:07 | |
in an article by the chief executive of Admiral highlighted | 0:10:07 | 0:10:10 | |
that if they were considering locating in the current climate, | 0:10:10 | 0:10:13 | |
they must probably would not lead to Wales to locate their | 0:10:13 | 0:10:17 | |
headquarters. What actions of the government doing to undertake full | 0:10:17 | 0:10:22 | |
engagement with the private sector so those high end jobs and high-end | 0:10:22 | 0:10:26 | |
companies do actually locate herein Wales? A central business district | 0:10:26 | 0:10:30 | |
of Cardiff has been daggers -- designated as an and present and | 0:10:30 | 0:10:35 | |
that will be crucial in attracting financial services such as Admiral | 0:10:35 | 0:10:42 | |
in the future to a capital city. We will also continue with the contact | 0:10:42 | 0:10:46 | |
that we make in other countries, I have been to China, I will go to | 0:10:46 | 0:10:50 | |
the US and India over the next few months to ensure that investment | 0:10:50 | 0:10:52 | |
opportunities for Wales are maximised from this countries as | 0:10:52 | 0:10:56 | |
well. Nobody could disagree with those sentiments that you have put | 0:10:56 | 0:11:01 | |
over this afternoon, a duck the issue is, Lego -- regrettably, the | 0:11:01 | 0:11:05 | |
record is not good in the first 10 years of the Assembly government in | 0:11:05 | 0:11:14 | |
attracting this type of companies. I fully endorse the efforts behind | 0:11:14 | 0:11:16 | |
Cardiff Business District, but we need to hear from you what | 0:11:16 | 0:11:19 | |
different measures your government will be doing to engage with those | 0:11:19 | 0:11:29 | |
0:11:29 | 0:11:31 | ||
high-value customers are. already have the anger companies | 0:11:31 | 0:11:34 | |
that have been designated. They are the largest employers and Wales. We | 0:11:35 | 0:11:40 | |
look very closely -- we work very closely with them to attract | 0:11:40 | 0:11:49 | |
further investment into Wales and the future. May I also welcome the | 0:11:49 | 0:11:55 | |
debate but you have opened on the constitution. The problem with | 0:11:55 | 0:11:59 | |
opening such a debate is you have to then say where you stand on that. | 0:11:59 | 0:12:04 | |
Can you tell us what constitutional changes he would favour for Wales? | 0:12:04 | 0:12:10 | |
Firstly, regarding Part 1 of the commission to consider issues such | 0:12:10 | 0:12:19 | |
as taxation, landfill, taxation for airports, look at issues such as | 0:12:19 | 0:12:26 | |
stamp duty, in order to reassure that we have a way of developing | 0:12:26 | 0:12:33 | |
taxes and Wales bearing in mind that they fall within their | 0:12:33 | 0:12:41 | |
responsibilities that we have presently. What you're saying is | 0:12:41 | 0:12:44 | |
that you're happy with the constitutional settlement as it | 0:12:44 | 0:12:50 | |
currently exists but that you would favour some tinkering with some | 0:12:50 | 0:12:58 | |
minor issues of taxation, that could raise hundreds of thousands | 0:12:58 | 0:13:02 | |
rather than income tax or corporation tax. Isn't it true to | 0:13:02 | 0:13:07 | |
say that the reason that the current debate is ongoing is there | 0:13:07 | 0:13:12 | |
is full clarity in what Scotland is requesting? Alex Salmond is asking | 0:13:12 | 0:13:15 | |
for independence for Scotland. The problem is there is no clarity in | 0:13:15 | 0:13:22 | |
terms of what you are requesting were seeking. The reality is, in | 0:13:22 | 0:13:26 | |
Reading, and I have read very carefully what you have said if you | 0:13:26 | 0:13:31 | |
press conference, you're they did the question on where exactly you | 0:13:31 | 0:13:34 | |
see the constitutional future of Wales. Indeed, what is your | 0:13:34 | 0:13:39 | |
ambition for Wales? Although you have refused to answer that | 0:13:39 | 0:13:44 | |
question, can you tell the Assembly were you truly stand? Are I am not | 0:13:44 | 0:13:51 | |
in favour of independence. Regarding my opinion, the silt | 0:13:51 | 0:13:59 | |
Commission, we have that and we are in favour of borrowing powers and | 0:13:59 | 0:14:08 | |
we are in favour of looking at issues such as energy. Regarding | 0:14:08 | 0:14:11 | |
allowing energy products in Wales. That is what the whole Assembly is | 0:14:11 | 0:14:16 | |
in favour of. By one that Assembly to have powers that are relevant, | 0:14:16 | 0:14:21 | |
but I don't want to go over the cliff regarding favour of | 0:14:21 | 0:14:31 | |
0:14:31 | 0:14:31 | ||
What I have to genu First Minister, is the only time you have fire in | 0:14:31 | 0:14:37 | |
your belly is when you say you are talking about independence, in | 0:14:37 | 0:14:42 | |
every other issue you sound week, if I may say so, so there is a lack | 0:14:42 | 0:14:52 | |
0:14:52 | 0:14:53 | ||
of leadership. If we are to have the constitutional debate, in terms | 0:14:53 | 0:14:57 | |
of these constitutional changes, but that will mean is that all of | 0:14:57 | 0:15:04 | |
the parties have to set out there stall more clearly. You, and if I | 0:15:04 | 0:15:09 | |
may say so, you have mentioned relatively minor issues in terms of | 0:15:09 | 0:15:16 | |
constitutional change, but there is significant difference between what | 0:15:16 | 0:15:20 | |
you're suggesting and independence, and in Scotland as a possibility | 0:15:20 | 0:15:26 | |
that there may be a question of a different type of responsibility. | 0:15:26 | 0:15:31 | |
There can you tell us exactly where you stand on the continuum, if we | 0:15:31 | 0:15:34 | |
are going to have a considered discussion on this issue, we need | 0:15:34 | 0:15:39 | |
to know where the First Minister stands. And it is perfectly clear | 0:15:39 | 0:15:46 | |
what my opinion is. Everything is said on the changing of the ballot | 0:15:46 | 0:15:53 | |
system. That has to happen before are anything else, or else we are | 0:15:53 | 0:15:57 | |
locked into a basis of raising taxes from a weak position. I am | 0:15:57 | 0:16:01 | |
perfectly happy to have this debate to with their leader of the party | 0:16:01 | 0:16:07 | |
because he will be going out in May and saying that his party is in | 0:16:07 | 0:16:14 | |
favour of independence. I would be happy to debate with them. First | 0:16:14 | 0:16:18 | |
Minister, the most recent set of educational results showed that a | 0:16:18 | 0:16:23 | |
Welsh students are falling behind in mathematics and science. Are the | 0:16:23 | 0:16:30 | |
workshops approved and funded by the education ministers to teach to | 0:16:30 | 0:16:33 | |
the test the answer to the shortcomings in the education | 0:16:33 | 0:16:39 | |
system? It is part of the picture, but we want to see an improvement. | 0:16:39 | 0:16:43 | |
I understand why you want to save your government from another | 0:16:43 | 0:16:47 | |
embarrassing set of poor education results, but it is not just about | 0:16:47 | 0:16:51 | |
this, in your Cabinet report, the education minister said this is | 0:16:51 | 0:16:57 | |
only one part of the jigsaw, but it is reflective of other evidence. | 0:16:57 | 0:17:04 | |
Examination results are rising but are not in pace with England. This | 0:17:04 | 0:17:10 | |
is consistent on the GCSE and A- levels. Kenny detail of supporters | 0:17:10 | 0:17:14 | |
were now offering to the schools that recently placed in banned five | 0:17:14 | 0:17:19 | |
of the system? This is a matter for the local authority to identify | 0:17:19 | 0:17:22 | |
what support is needed, but the Education Minister is absolutely | 0:17:22 | 0:17:26 | |
right in saying that parents and teachers have an idea of what needs | 0:17:26 | 0:17:31 | |
to be done in the schools and the banding provides that evidence. | 0:17:31 | 0:17:34 | |
is extraordinary that you have absolved the Government of any | 0:17:34 | 0:17:38 | |
responsibility in ensuring that the schools get the support they need. | 0:17:38 | 0:17:42 | |
I have no problem with giving parents the information on how the | 0:17:42 | 0:17:46 | |
school is doing, but I want to see that matched with action to improve | 0:17:46 | 0:17:50 | |
the school. One headmaster of a band five school has said to me | 0:17:50 | 0:17:55 | |
that if this is the target support, then where is it? What is it? We | 0:17:55 | 0:17:59 | |
have had no follow-up from Annie one since the publication of these | 0:17:59 | 0:18:07 | |
figures. You were happy to coach and pay for schools to pass the | 0:18:07 | 0:18:11 | |
assessments to save government blushers. When will you target | 0:18:11 | 0:18:16 | |
assistance at the schools and law bans to improve the school's? | 0:18:16 | 0:18:20 | |
have resources that go beyond the UK government. We are transparent | 0:18:20 | 0:18:25 | |
about this. We're happy to publish performance levels and also to | 0:18:25 | 0:18:29 | |
publish funding levels on an annual basis, something the UK government | 0:18:29 | 0:18:34 | |
has refused to do it in terms of England. It means we can no longer | 0:18:34 | 0:18:38 | |
compare funding per head in England and Wales because the UK government | 0:18:38 | 0:18:42 | |
of which our party is a part, have refused to publish comparison | 0:18:42 | 0:18:49 | |
figures. I very much regret that. We move back to questions on the | 0:18:49 | 0:18:55 | |
paper, Simon Thomas. Will the First Minister make a statement on buffer | 0:18:55 | 0:19:01 | |
zones for open cost developments? would refer you to minerals, | 0:19:01 | 0:19:08 | |
technical advice note to. Thank you for that response and with | 0:19:08 | 0:19:11 | |
reference to the technical advice, he will know that that refers to | 0:19:11 | 0:19:17 | |
500 metres in terms of a buffer zone for open development. Why has | 0:19:17 | 0:19:21 | |
planning permission been given to extend the same talent opencast | 0:19:21 | 0:19:26 | |
site which will bring it within that 500 metre buffer zone close to | 0:19:26 | 0:19:30 | |
people's homes and to playgrounds, one of the playgrounds of one of | 0:19:30 | 0:19:35 | |
the brand new schools in the 21st century schools programme. What | 0:19:35 | 0:19:38 | |
will you do and what are you tell constituents that are concerned | 0:19:38 | 0:19:43 | |
that the rules could not be followed in this case? This is | 0:19:43 | 0:19:46 | |
something for the local planning authority. I cannot make any | 0:19:46 | 0:19:53 | |
comment on any individual cases. But the policy is still there, this | 0:19:53 | 0:19:58 | |
buffer zone policy still exists in this technical advice note. First | 0:19:58 | 0:20:02 | |
Minister, it is important that the buffer zone is a duty by local | 0:20:02 | 0:20:09 | |
authorities and enforced as much as possible, but we Dewar Greek it is | 0:20:09 | 0:20:14 | |
important to insurer bad businesses that operate restore the land so it | 0:20:14 | 0:20:18 | |
goes back to the way that it was. - - but we need to agree it is | 0:20:18 | 0:20:25 | |
important to ensure that businesses. It is the responsibilities of those | 0:20:25 | 0:20:28 | |
that work on open cast mines to restore the land once the | 0:20:28 | 0:20:33 | |
operations have come to an end. That is an obligation that | 0:20:33 | 0:20:37 | |
everybody in the wider world would support. In terms of how we will | 0:20:37 | 0:20:41 | |
enforce this, this has to do with the ad said of the agreement on | 0:20:41 | 0:20:46 | |
part of the local planning a authority. -- the outset. They | 0:20:46 | 0:20:50 | |
would retain the responsibility for restoring the conditions when they | 0:20:50 | 0:20:56 | |
had been imposed at the first part of the planning application. With | 0:20:56 | 0:21:00 | |
the increasing focus on energy generating fuel, pretty clearly | 0:21:00 | 0:21:06 | |
open cast as we are fortunate of having some resources and Wales, is | 0:21:06 | 0:21:13 | |
it time to look at enforcement policy on the fact that in England | 0:21:13 | 0:21:18 | |
section 106 is there. There is no buffer zone in England, buffer | 0:21:18 | 0:21:23 | |
zones can go anywhere. That is not the right approach. You raise this | 0:21:23 | 0:21:27 | |
question of section one of six which is worth considering a, had | 0:21:27 | 0:21:32 | |
their ways of standing out? There is a limitation because the | 0:21:32 | 0:21:37 | |
community infrastructure level composers in a way that we do not | 0:21:37 | 0:21:42 | |
welcome. -- imposes. It would be better if the infrastructure levy | 0:21:42 | 0:21:47 | |
was at a default or if it was phrased in a less prescriptive way | 0:21:47 | 0:21:54 | |
than it is at the moment. previous Environment Minister | 0:21:54 | 0:21:58 | |
promised to review a buffer zones when the new law was tested. After | 0:21:58 | 0:22:01 | |
that happened, the current environment minister said he did | 0:22:01 | 0:22:05 | |
not believe that this was necessary because the local development plan | 0:22:05 | 0:22:10 | |
and the guidance provided the balance. However, many of us went | 0:22:10 | 0:22:20 | |
0:22:20 | 0:22:20 | ||
to a meeting with lawyers who want to look at areas and they wanted to | 0:22:20 | 0:22:23 | |
deconstruct the statutory instrument, as they put it, so that | 0:22:23 | 0:22:30 | |
clients can to press ahead in those areas without going straight into | 0:22:30 | 0:22:34 | |
restoration. What are your views on this instance continuing looking | 0:22:34 | 0:22:39 | |
better answers to your colleagues on this? And the attempts to | 0:22:39 | 0:22:44 | |
deconstruct the planning guidance as you put it would resist strongly. | 0:22:44 | 0:22:49 | |
We take a very dim view of attempts that are made to get around | 0:22:49 | 0:22:53 | |
planning permission and planning guidance in order to facilitate | 0:22:53 | 0:22:57 | |
opencast mining. The guidance is there, it is clear and the buffer | 0:22:57 | 0:23:05 | |
zone is clear. What is the First Minister doing to support small | 0:23:05 | 0:23:13 | |
businesses in South Wales Central? We have clear steps to support | 0:23:13 | 0:23:18 | |
business and government. One of the visible steps was to establish the | 0:23:18 | 0:23:23 | |
sector panels ostensibly to give business a voice in government. | 0:23:23 | 0:23:27 | |
Despite the fact that businesses are described as micro businesses, | 0:23:27 | 0:23:34 | |
only 20 % of the people on the sector panels are from SMEs not at | 0:23:34 | 0:23:38 | |
all micro businesses. On behalf of the 40,000 micro businesses in | 0:23:38 | 0:23:42 | |
South Wales Central, what will you do to redress this balance and give | 0:23:42 | 0:23:47 | |
the small businesses the voice they deserve in this Government? | 0:23:47 | 0:23:50 | |
micro business task and Finnish group launched its findings last | 0:23:50 | 0:23:54 | |
Wednesday and they are considering the details of their | 0:23:54 | 0:24:01 | |
recommendations. They will be taken forward in due course. I know that | 0:24:01 | 0:24:06 | |
many small businesses in my constituency will welcome the | 0:24:06 | 0:24:10 | |
recommendations of the recent task on micro business groups set up by | 0:24:10 | 0:24:16 | |
the minister. When I spoke to SMEs, I have often been told that they | 0:24:16 | 0:24:21 | |
feel that the feedback mechanisms in place are not as good as they | 0:24:21 | 0:24:24 | |
should be elected businesses know what they can do differently the | 0:24:25 | 0:24:28 | |
next time, if unsuccessful in bidding for a public sector | 0:24:28 | 0:24:33 | |
contracts. Can you give some assurances that strong feedback | 0:24:33 | 0:24:37 | |
mechanisms may be central to the Government's response to the | 0:24:37 | 0:24:42 | |
report's recommendations regarding support and advise? Absolutely. | 0:24:42 | 0:24:47 | |
Feedback on services we provide is important and the response to the | 0:24:47 | 0:24:49 | |
micro Service report will have suitable feedback mechanisms in | 0:24:49 | 0:24:58 | |
place. I welcome that the report is with the business minister from the | 0:24:58 | 0:25:02 | |
task group that he set up, but time and time again, small business has | 0:25:02 | 0:25:08 | |
come and speak to me about the delay in getting information, and | 0:25:08 | 0:25:12 | |
that flow of information from the 12 governments but allows them to | 0:25:12 | 0:25:16 | |
procure or participate in the procurement of a contract. When | 0:25:17 | 0:25:20 | |
would the minister be in a position to bring the information for word | 0:25:20 | 0:25:26 | |
over the proposals they are looking to streamline the process? This is | 0:25:26 | 0:25:29 | |
why the micro business task group has set up. There is an | 0:25:29 | 0:25:34 | |
implementation plan which would be drawn up and publish shortly. We | 0:25:34 | 0:25:39 | |
will continue to meet on a quarterly basis to monitor the | 0:25:39 | 0:25:45 | |
implementation of the recommendations as well. There is a | 0:25:45 | 0:25:52 | |
possibility some say a probability that the Welsh economy is in | 0:25:52 | 0:25:57 | |
recession right now, but because it out of date statistics we receive, | 0:25:57 | 0:26:01 | |
there is no way of us really knowing. The UK economy as a whole | 0:26:01 | 0:26:06 | |
is teetering just above negative growth at the moment, there is a | 0:26:06 | 0:26:10 | |
strong suspicion that the south- east of England is skewing the | 0:26:10 | 0:26:16 | |
overall figures. Firstly, will you insist upon the collection and | 0:26:16 | 0:26:20 | |
publication of up to date quarterly statistics, like those produced in | 0:26:20 | 0:26:25 | |
Scotland, so that we can have the full picture here of the Welsh | 0:26:25 | 0:26:31 | |
economy and so that policies can be tailored to, for example, measures | 0:26:31 | 0:26:35 | |
that could help small businesses in my region, small businesses are | 0:26:35 | 0:26:40 | |
struggling in every part of Wales, to help take on new people, or at | 0:26:41 | 0:26:46 | |
the very least, safeguard already existing jobs? She raises an | 0:26:46 | 0:26:50 | |
important point, and we're looking at how we can secure more up-to- | 0:26:50 | 0:26:54 | |
date GDP figures for Wales and the future, along the lines of those | 0:26:54 | 0:27:01 | |
available in Scotland. What assessment has the First Minister | 0:27:01 | 0:27:07 | |
made of the potential impact of the 2012 Olympic Games on Wales? We are | 0:27:08 | 0:27:14 | |
finalising an economic impact assessment of London 2012, tears 1, | 0:27:14 | 0:27:19 | |
2 and 3 contracts are with businesses in Wales and there is an | 0:27:19 | 0:27:26 | |
evaluation of the UK-wide legacy of the Games. As you may be aware, the | 0:27:26 | 0:27:30 | |
European Tour operators Association has this month argued that the | 0:27:30 | 0:27:34 | |
tourism benefits of holding Olympic events are overstated sometimes. | 0:27:34 | 0:27:42 | |
Also, the recent comments by tourism experts, Mr John Waite, | 0:27:42 | 0:27:46 | |
that Wales has yet to capitalise fully on major events based tourism, | 0:27:46 | 0:27:51 | |
what commitments are you prepared to make to ensure that we further | 0:27:51 | 0:27:55 | |
developed the sector, which is particularly critical for the rural | 0:27:55 | 0:27:59 | |
Welsh economy? There is a government action plan on securing | 0:27:59 | 0:28:03 | |
the legacy for Wales. I believe that we had a good record of | 0:28:03 | 0:28:07 | |
securing tourism for major events. The Ryder Cup as a prime example | 0:28:07 | 0:28:11 | |
and the success of the Ryder Cup was added to encourage people to | 0:28:11 | 0:28:15 | |
travel around Wales. The wreck of clubs that benefited strongly from | 0:28:15 | 0:28:25 | |
the tourism. -- there were golf clubs. First Minister, the action | 0:28:25 | 0:28:30 | |
plan securing the legacy for Wales stated that they will focus on | 0:28:30 | 0:28:35 | |
maximising the economic legacy for Wales by promoting trade and | 0:28:35 | 0:28:41 | |
investment, boosting tourism and enhancing Wales as global | 0:28:41 | 0:28:45 | |
reputation leading to, during and following the Games. Many | 0:28:45 | 0:28:49 | |
businesses in South Wales East, for example one of my constituents, was | 0:28:49 | 0:28:53 | |
concerned that they will not benefit from the Olympics and the | 0:28:53 | 0:28:56 | |
Paralympics, just like they did not see a boost in profits from the | 0:28:56 | 0:29:01 | |
Ryder Cup being on their doorstep. What assurances on the Welsh | 0:29:01 | 0:29:06 | |
government give to instil confidence in local businesses and | 0:29:06 | 0:29:11 | |
can you confirm that they will now reap the rewards for the Olympics | 0:29:11 | 0:29:16 | |
and the Paralympics. We're looking through the action plan that she | 0:29:16 | 0:29:22 | |
referred to ensure that there is a secure legacy for Wales. There are | 0:29:22 | 0:29:26 | |
sometimes put it is difficult to plan for an event that is cancels, | 0:29:26 | 0:29:31 | |
like the Welsh Tory conference in Wales! There are many hoteliers | 0:29:31 | 0:29:36 | |
that were left out of pocket because of the cancellation of the | 0:29:36 | 0:29:39 | |
Welsh Conservative conference! I want to be charitable to the party | 0:29:39 | 0:29:44 | |
opposite unsafe that of course we want to encourage major events in | 0:29:44 | 0:29:48 | |
Wales, but we cannot categorise the Welsh Tory conference as a major | 0:29:48 | 0:29:58 | |
0:29:58 | 0:29:59 | ||
The Minister of Wales has lost out significantly in terms of the | 0:29:59 | 0:30:03 | |
lottery my that we haven't received because of the Olympic Games | 0:30:03 | 0:30:08 | |
happening in Britain. Can you be certain that the economic benefits | 0:30:08 | 0:30:16 | |
are going to be approved to Wales as a result of the game's? Many of | 0:30:16 | 0:30:21 | |
the games they could have taken place, such as mountain bikes, | 0:30:21 | 0:30:28 | |
aren't going to be happening here. That is what the action plan wants | 0:30:28 | 0:30:33 | |
to achieve. We have a substantial legacy following the games. We have | 0:30:33 | 0:30:36 | |
to bear in mind as well that many teams will be coming to Wales to | 0:30:36 | 0:30:42 | |
train before the Games themselves, and that is also an opportunity to | 0:30:42 | 0:30:52 | |
0:30:52 | 0:30:53 | ||
sell Wales to those teams. Does the First Minister make any | 0:30:53 | 0:30:56 | |
representations to the UK government about the fact that the | 0:30:56 | 0:31:02 | |
changes to the welfare system will have one Welsh people? We have | 0:31:02 | 0:31:12 | |
expressed our concerns about the Ralph -- well for reform. -- | 0:31:12 | 0:31:20 | |
welfare reform. A further statement will be issued next month. | 0:31:20 | 0:31:25 | |
plans to slash the welfare budget by having a drastic effect on many | 0:31:25 | 0:31:29 | |
people throughout Wales and will continue to do so while these | 0:31:29 | 0:31:34 | |
ideological policies are being pursued. I'm sure many Welsh | 0:31:34 | 0:31:38 | |
families who are being hit by a substantial drop in income would | 0:31:38 | 0:31:43 | |
like to know where you stand on the question. Do you disagree with your | 0:31:43 | 0:31:47 | |
Labour Party colleague and shadow chancellor Ed Balls, who | 0:31:47 | 0:31:50 | |
effectively endorsed the coalition's right wing agenda when | 0:31:50 | 0:31:55 | |
he said that the next Labour government was going to have to | 0:31:55 | 0:32:00 | |
keep all these cuts. Do you agree with Ed Balls? That is not -- that | 0:32:00 | 0:32:07 | |
is not what Ed Balls said. He said it is a difficult time to commit to | 0:32:07 | 0:32:16 | |
it. We don't know what a mess the UK will be in by 2015, so I think | 0:32:16 | 0:32:26 | |
0:32:26 | 0:32:26 | ||
it is wise of him. We as a party Stanford equality -- stand for. | 0:32:26 | 0:32:29 | |
is incredibly disappointing that the Tory lead UK government has | 0:32:29 | 0:32:37 | |
pledged to press ahead with their plans to restrict DSA for Kim -- | 0:32:37 | 0:32:42 | |
chemotherapy patients. As Macmillan the Cancer Support put it recently, | 0:32:42 | 0:32:47 | |
the idea that supporting cancer patients at the time of greatest | 0:32:47 | 0:32:51 | |
needs encourages dependency is utterly without foundation. Would | 0:32:51 | 0:32:55 | |
you agree with -- agree with me that this is a completely | 0:32:55 | 0:32:58 | |
reprehensible move on the part of the Conservatives at Westminster, | 0:32:58 | 0:33:02 | |
and that the Tories at this end of the M4 should make it clear whether | 0:33:02 | 0:33:12 | |
0:33:12 | 0:33:13 | ||
they support these plans which leave thousands of cancer patients | 0:33:13 | 0:33:21 | |
losing out. You're absolutely right. Once again, it is a sad example of | 0:33:21 | 0:33:26 | |
the UK government saying that we'll all get together, but targeting the | 0:33:26 | 0:33:35 | |
most vulnerable in society. First Minister, the disability living | 0:33:35 | 0:33:39 | |
allowance is a prime example where it has remained largely unchanged | 0:33:39 | 0:33:44 | |
for the past 20 years. It is actually costing the working tax- | 0:33:44 | 0:33:50 | |
paying family about �3,000 per year. The number of people receiving DLA | 0:33:50 | 0:33:55 | |
has also risen by 30 % and we have now got almost a quarter of a | 0:33:55 | 0:34:05 | |
million people in Wales receiving this. Liam Byrne MP said last year | 0:34:05 | 0:34:15 | |
0:34:15 | 0:34:19 | ||
that they support a cap on benefit if it comes from public money. What | 0:34:19 | 0:34:24 | |
do you think? It is a great shame when offered the opportunity to do | 0:34:24 | 0:34:27 | |
it -- to express support to cancer sufferers can the Conservative | 0:34:28 | 0:34:35 | |
Party in Wales have failed to do so. The opportunity was there in this | 0:34:35 | 0:34:39 | |
chamber to disagree with the UK's government proposals for cancer | 0:34:39 | 0:34:43 | |
sufferers and in support for cancer sufferers. It is a sad day that | 0:34:43 | 0:34:50 | |
that opportunity was not taken in this chamber. I share the First | 0:34:50 | 0:34:58 | |
Minister's concerns, and indeed Ed Balls', in the way to reform of | 0:34:58 | 0:35:02 | |
disability benefits has been operated. Last week, in my surgery, | 0:35:02 | 0:35:09 | |
I saw a young man had been booted off benefits and had been refused | 0:35:09 | 0:35:15 | |
support allowance because somebody said so. But this young man was | 0:35:15 | 0:35:20 | |
both physically and mentally completely unfit for work. He walks | 0:35:20 | 0:35:24 | |
with the stick and most the time he was forced to be standing well we | 0:35:24 | 0:35:30 | |
had a discussion because of his inability to sit down. On top of | 0:35:30 | 0:35:34 | |
that, he is agoraphobic and could only come to the surgery with the | 0:35:34 | 0:35:37 | |
support of a family member. The idea that this young man is ready | 0:35:38 | 0:35:46 | |
for work and that signing on at the job centre will give him a job, is | 0:35:46 | 0:35:50 | |
a complete travesty of the hold benefits system. He needs both | 0:35:50 | 0:35:58 | |
physical and mental also -- support. And what indication does the Welsh | 0:35:58 | 0:36:05 | |
government have of the numbers of people in similar situations? | 0:36:05 | 0:36:15 | |
0:36:15 | 0:36:16 | ||
20th August 10 there were -- 2010 there were many people receiving | 0:36:16 | 0:36:24 | |
DLA. How can it be a fair reform of the system if, beforehand, a | 0:36:24 | 0:36:27 | |
minister declared that 20 % of people will lose their announced | 0:36:27 | 0:36:35 | |
what ever happens? That cannot be right. There needs to be it a | 0:36:35 | 0:36:42 | |
fundamental rethink. What action will the Welsh government be taking | 0:36:42 | 0:36:52 | |
to reduce poverty? The programme includes a commitment to tackling | 0:36:52 | 0:36:58 | |
poverty Action Plan. In recent survey highlighted that there is a | 0:36:58 | 0:37:08 | |
0:37:08 | 0:37:08 | ||
high level of child poverty in my constituency. To a poverty levels | 0:37:08 | 0:37:16 | |
will be increased -- Child poverty levels will be increased as people | 0:37:16 | 0:37:23 | |
go back into work. It has a huge impact on people and could be | 0:37:23 | 0:37:25 | |
restricted to if people are helped back to work. What action as the | 0:37:25 | 0:37:31 | |
Welsh government taking to support families to get back into work? | 0:37:31 | 0:37:38 | |
issue of child care will be taken as part of the poverty Action Plan. | 0:37:38 | 0:37:41 | |
We'll take it forward in order to deal with the many problems that | 0:37:41 | 0:37:44 | |
farmers will face over the next few years as a consequence of policies | 0:37:44 | 0:37:51 | |
being pursued at Westminster. of the key objectives in your child | 0:37:51 | 0:37:55 | |
poverty strategy is to improve the skills of parents or carers and you | 0:37:55 | 0:37:59 | |
have people living in low-income households, so they can fit -- | 0:37:59 | 0:38:05 | |
secure well-paid employment. Will the government's development -- | 0:38:05 | 0:38:09 | |
what workers your government been doing to promote the relevant | 0:38:09 | 0:38:15 | |
skills required in those areas and what potential investment schemes | 0:38:15 | 0:38:19 | |
will be available to companies locating to those areas for the | 0:38:19 | 0:38:25 | |
development of work-based training? We still await final confirmation | 0:38:25 | 0:38:34 | |
regarding capital allowances, but we are investing heavily in skills. | 0:38:34 | 0:38:37 | |
Particularly over the last two or three weeks. We also have a | 0:38:38 | 0:38:41 | |
fundamental commitment to double the number of families who are | 0:38:41 | 0:38:44 | |
eligible for the Flying Start scheme. That is an excellent way of | 0:38:44 | 0:38:48 | |
ensuring that people are able to access work, that they're able to | 0:38:48 | 0:38:51 | |
access the skills they need and that they have the support and | 0:38:51 | 0:38:56 | |
place in order to go to work. That is where the scheme will remain a - | 0:38:56 | 0:39:01 | |
- an important part of this government's work. You can see more | 0:39:01 | 0:39:09 | |
proceedings from the National Assembly on BBC Wales democracy | 0:39:09 | 0:39:15 | |
live website. Our Welsh affairs officer is back on the sofa with us. | 0:39:15 | 0:39:19 | |
No surprise that the First Minister's Questions kicked off | 0:39:19 | 0:39:25 | |
with a question about Scotland. Scotland is dominating the | 0:39:25 | 0:39:29 | |
political agenda across the UK at the moment. There will be a speech | 0:39:29 | 0:39:32 | |
by Alex Salmond today in London followed by an announcement by him | 0:39:32 | 0:39:35 | |
tomorrow but the consultation process on how that independence | 0:39:35 | 0:39:40 | |
referendum will be held. Just a holding of the referendum but this | 0:39:40 | 0:39:48 | |
has implications for Wales. No surprise that this is very much on | 0:39:48 | 0:39:55 | |
the minds of politicians here. First Minister made the state of | 0:39:55 | 0:39:58 | |
the UK the theme of his new monthly press conferences yesterday. This | 0:39:58 | 0:40:02 | |
morning, another press conference from him to talk about what the | 0:40:02 | 0:40:06 | |
Labour Party was doing to deliver for Wales. Two big announcements in | 0:40:06 | 0:40:11 | |
two days, what does that mean? it a big announcement or not? The | 0:40:11 | 0:40:16 | |
opposition parties would say not. The delivery document was a bit of | 0:40:16 | 0:40:21 | |
spin, a bit of PR, because their continual attacks on Carwyn Jones | 0:40:21 | 0:40:27 | |
for not doing anything are beginning to get under his skin. Of | 0:40:27 | 0:40:31 | |
course, those two things are not mutually exclusive. It could be | 0:40:31 | 0:40:34 | |
that Carwyn Jones is annoyed that his being accused of doing nothing | 0:40:34 | 0:40:39 | |
because he feels he is doing quite a lot. But Labour felt the need to | 0:40:39 | 0:40:44 | |
put up this document and say, look, these attacks coming from the | 0:40:44 | 0:40:49 | |
opposition are simply not true in our view. The response from the | 0:40:49 | 0:40:54 | |
opposition parties has been quite damning. I didn't interview with | 0:40:54 | 0:40:57 | |
the leader of the concert as this morning. He said the government | 0:40:58 | 0:41:03 | |
would not know the meaning of the word delivery. I think the | 0:41:03 | 0:41:06 | |
opposition parties will be rubbing their hands slightly because the | 0:41:06 | 0:41:12 | |
shows that they have, if you like, irritated at the very least, the | 0:41:12 | 0:41:17 | |
Labour Party. We are running into local elections coming up in May. | 0:41:17 | 0:41:21 | |
The UK wide polls suggest that Labour may be falling back a bit, | 0:41:21 | 0:41:26 | |
it may not be quite as popular as they are. These are important | 0:41:26 | 0:41:30 |